d for a time wept on in silence. She
could not endure the thought that another would so soon take the place
of her lost mother in the household and in the affections of her
father. There was, besides, something exceedingly annoying in the
manner of her who communicated the intelligence, and secretly Carrie
felt glad that the dreaded "Miss Blackheart" had, of course, no Lenora
to bring with her!

"Do you know all this to be true?" asked Kate.

"Perfectly true," said Lenora. "We have friends living in the vicinity
of the lady, and there can be no mistake, except, indeed, in the name,
which I am not sure is right!"

Then hastily kissing Carrie, the little hussy went away, very well
satisfied with her afternoon's call. As soon as she was out of hearing
Margaret entered her sister's room, and on noticing Carrie's flushed
cheek and red eyes, inquired the cause. Immediately Kate told her what
Lenora had said, but instead of weeping, as Carrie had done, she
betrayed no emotion whatever.

"Why, Maggie, ain't you sorry?" asked Carrie.

"No, I am glad," returned Mag. "I've seen all along that sooner or
later father would make himself ridiculous, and I'd rather he'd marry
forty women from the East, than one woman not far from here whom I
know."

All that afternoon Mag tripped with unwonted gaiety about the house. A
weight was lifted from her heart, for in her estimation any one whom
her father would marry was preferable to Mrs. Carter.

* * * * *

Oh, how the widow scolded the daughter, and how the daughter laughed
at the widow, when she related the particulars of her call.

"Lenora, what could have possessed you to tell such a lie?" said Mrs.
Carter.

"Not so fast, mother mine," answered Lenora. "'Twasn't a lie. Mr.
Hamilton _is_ engaged to a lady from the East. He _did_ flirt with her
in his younger days; and, pray, didn't he have to come East when be
called to inquire after his beloved classmates, and ended by getting
checkmated! Besides, I think you ought to thank me for turning the
channel of gossip in another direction, for now you will be saved from
all impertinent questions and remarks."

This mode of reasoning failed to convince the widow, who felt quite
willing that people should know of her flattering prospects; and when
a few days after Mrs. Dr. Otis told her that Mrs. Kimball said that
Polly Larkins said that her hired girl told her that Mrs. Kirby's
hired girl told her tha